Chronicle file photoWillow Smith of Montague's Nellie B. Chisholm Middle School listens to Alcoa Howmet process engineer Stephenie Oehlke talk about the microstructure of metals that Willow was observing through the microscope. Willow was one of 40 girls participating in the S.T.E.P.S. -- Science Technology and Engineering Preview Summer Camp -- program when they made a trip for part of the day to the Alcoa Howmet Casting. (Click to enlarge.)

Chronicle file photoJeff King, of Howmet, places a piece of dry ice in water during a presentation by Howmet employees called "Physical Changes in Matter" at Ealy Elementary School.

Chronicle file photoVolunteers from Alcoa Howmet -- Kerri Bernhardt, Rocky DeJonge and Craig Brandes -- work on constructing a wheelchair ramp in Muskegon as part of the Ramp Project through Love INC.

A decade ago, the list of companies giving large amounts back to the Muskegon community included SPX Corp., Quality Stores and the Horizon Group.

Those companies are no longer here.

And Alcoa Howmet's Whitehall Operations have stepped into the gap, local nonprofit leaders say.

Although Muskegon County's largest employer has been operating here since 1951, the corporate culture of supporting the community was elevated seven years ago when the aerospace parts manufacturer was purchased by Alcoa -- the Pittsburgh-based aluminum global giant.

Since 2001, the Alcoa Foundation and Howmet operations have given $2.8 million to area communities, including Whitehall. In addition, hundreds of employees have contributed thousands of hours of volunteer time to Alcoa Howmet-supported community activities and events, said Amy Heisser, human resources director for the Whitehall operations.

"Howmet is in a category by itself providing old-time community leadership with its donations of corporate resources," said Chris McGuigan, president of the Community Foundation for Muskegon County.

Along with Alcoa Howmet, other current leading corporate citizens in Muskegon County include Verizon Communications, Huntington Bank, L-3 Communications, National City Bank and the two community banks in town, nonprofit leaders say.

"Community support is a core value at Alcoa and they support it," said Heisser, who has tapped New York's Alcoa Foundation -- which includes more than $500 million in assets -- to support efforts from environmental causes to children's educa tion. "With other large funders moving out of town, it has been a great time for Alcoa to move in."

Specifically, Alcoa Howmet has supported downtown Muskegon redevelopment efforts to the tune of $270,000 over the past two years. The support has included funding the design of public spaces in the "city center" redevelopment, public art for the Third Street and West Western Avenue traffic circle, a welcoming center for the new Muskegon Area Chamber of Commerce's offices in the Hines Building and a children's fountain in front of the U.S. Post Office in what once was Federal Square.

"We need a vital downtown to attract and retain employees," Heisser said of how Alcoa's support of the community helps the company's local operations succeed. Alcoa Howmet employs nearly 2,600 people from production jobs represented by the United Auto Workers Local 1243 to doctorate-level metallurgical reseach in the Operhall Research Center, named after Howmet co-founder Ted Operhall.

"The majority of our employees live in Muskegon County," Heisser said of supporting downtown development without having any operations in the city of Muskegon. But Alcoa Howmet has not forgotten the White Lake area, said Whitehall Mayor Mac Hatch.
"Alcoa has been just fantastic here in White Lake," Hatch said. "Not only has Alcoa been good, but Amy Heisser has been a huge factor in going out and bringing more money here."

Alcoa Howmet was the only corporate contributor to the revitalization of the Howmet Theater in Whitehall. The company gave $25,000 to the city for the theater's operations, Hatch said.

But Alcoa Howmet provides community service beyond writing checks. This year, 1,188 of the company's employees have provided community service on company-sponsored projects.

UAW Local 1243's Community Services Committee has joined forces with the company's Spirit Committee from the salaried work force to select one volunteer project a month. Efforts this year have included building handicap-accessible ramps for those in need, working on a Habitat for Humanity house and volunteering for the United Way Day of Caring.

The environment first attracted the attention of the Alcoa Foundation, which contributed to the White River watershed initiative shortly after the company acquired Howmet. Education also has been a key focus, Heisser said.

Alcoa Howmet employees have an ongoing partnership with Ealy Elementary School in the Whitehall district where more than 5,700 students, during the past decade, have been taught by more than 300 employees.

Much of the educational support has been through Grand Valley State University where Alcoa Howmet has created a summer program to encourage young girls to pursue careers in engineering and technology. The company also supported the establishment of GVSU's downtown Muskegon Lake Michigan Center and the Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center.

"We live here and we work here," Heisser said of the company's philosophy. "This is a platform issue for Alcoa being a good community citizen and steward of our environment."